Romney shows himself in presidential role at debate

Watching Wednesday night’s first presidential debate in the 2012 election was more like watching The Mitt Romney Show with co-stars President Barack Obama and Jim Lehrer, former news anchor for PBS NewsHour.

I wouldn’t call it a game changer, but it certainly was the kick in the pants the GOP needed.

Watching Wednesday night’s first presidential debate in the 2012 election was more like watching The Mitt Romney Show with co-stars President Barack Obama and Jim Lehrer, former news anchor for PBS NewsHour.

Romney hit the podium swinging at anything tossed his way: Obamacare (which the President is OK with us saying now), Big Bird, the moderator himself. I never saw a clear home run, but he landed on base more than his opponent, which was a critical move his campaign needs right now.

Romney came off as more prepared, passionate and overall concerned about America and its problems than Obama, who never could quite gain traction on stage and whose signature fluid oration was resolutely absent. It was a first for me with both candidates. I’m not used to a poised Romney and a rattled Obama.

I thought the debate was a contrast to the national conventions held just over a month ago. Romney seemed far more comfortable on live television sparring with his opponent on stage than he did accepting the nomination in the comfort and presence of his own party. Obama, on the other hand, was so at peace at the Charlotte convention that his party acceptance speech had a tone more akin to someone who had already won another term instead of beginning a bid for it. On stage against Romney, I didn’t see him fight back once against his opponent or Lehrer, who more or less let Romney run ramrod over the debate.

Another debate deficient was the topics themselves. I was looking forward to hearing something on foreign policy, women’s issues (which both candidates pledged a cause to at the conventions) and the all-famous 47 percent — all of which would have fit nicely into the three topics listed for the debate: the U.S. economy, health care and the role of government governing.

I think Wednesday’s exchange did little to sway the mind of voters who already know which animal they’ll pledge a punch to at the polls, but I do think it had enough steam behind it to help influence the most critical constituents in this election: those still undecided. Wednesday night, Romney showed himself as being decisive, commanding and presidential. He fought and he fought hard. That’s what a lot of voters are looking for right now.

I’m looking forward to the first and only vice presidential debate on Thursday. Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will chow down on domestic and foreign issues at Centre College in Danville, Ky., while ABC news veteran Martha Raddatz, attempts to do what Lehrer did not: actually moderate. And then Obama and Romney will go at it again over the same two issues at a town-hall style debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on Oct. 16.

Page 2 of 2 - There’s a lot of ground to cover from now until the final debate on Oct. 22 at Lynn University, in Boca Raton, Fla., which will be the same style as Wednesday’s format. Obama has given up a nice lead and Romney is playing politics with a deftness we’ve not seen before. All of which is making the run to Nov. 6 that much more exciting.

Thank God I’m an American who gets to help decide the final outcome.

Timmi Toler is city editor of The Daily News. Contact her at 910-219-8458 or timmi.toler@jdnews.com, or join the conversation at facebook.com/JacksonvilleDailyNews or twitter.com/JDNews.